Collapsible plastic bags are often used to store liquid products such as chemicals, soft drink syrup, and food condiments. The plastic bags are typically housed in a container or box to aid in handling and dispensing of the product. Such bags are referred to in the art as "bag-in-box bags."
The plastic bags also have a spout for filling and dispensing the product within the bag. Generally, to dispense product from bag-in-box bags, vacuum pump systems are often utilized. To aid in dispensing product from the container, evacuation channels are often placed within the bag. Evacuation channels are typically elongated cylindrical tubes or strips of protruding ribs having a sufficient height. One end of the evacuation channel is disposed transverse to, or is connected to the spout, and the other end of the evacuation channel extends into the cavity of the bag. As the bag is emptied by the force of the vacuum pump, portions of the bag collapse unevenly, tending to leave pockets of product, typically liquid, which may become isolated from the rest of the liquid in the container. The evacuation channel, however, forms a conduit which cannot be closed off by the vacuum pressure on the walls of the bag. In this manner the entire chamber of the flexible bag remains in communication with the spout at all times during the dispensing such that all product within the bag can be removed.
With many applications, typically in the chemical and food arenas, the bag-in-box bag cannot be placed at the exact location where the product is needed due to health/bacterial/sanitization and logistic concerns. Thus, the vacuum pump system in connection with the dip strip helps to fully drain the bag, in addition to pumping the product from the bag-in-box bag to the desired end location, such location that is typically a distance away from the area where the bag-in-box bag is stored.
Because a container or box is required to house the "bag-in-box" bag, the overall bag-in-box is more expensive to manufacture than a bag without a box. A similar dilemma is observed with the requirement of a dip strip. Additionally, because a pump system is required to remove product from the bag and direct product to the desired location for use, the bag-in-box bag is often more complex and costly to operate.
As a result, several designs have been created in an attempt to eliminate the need for both the containing box, the vacuum pump draining system, and the evacuation channels. One such design is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 2,838,046 (the '046 patent), issued to W. F. Butler. The '046 patent discloses a container including a transverse support member having a wire hook secured thereto, such that the container may be supported in use. While this disclosure eliminates the need for a containing box, it unnecessarily requires the addition of a support member and a wire hook. Therefore, the device of the '046 patent does not solve the problem of increased manufacturing time and cost involved with the bag-in-box bags.
Other devices for supporting a bag for dispensing product from the bag are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,924,781 (the '781 patent) issued to Witte, and U.S. Pat. No. 5,690,253 (the '253 patent) issued to LaFleur. The '781 patent discloses a device having a rigid support rod which extends through openings in the container at opposing side wall portions, to support the container. A complex hanger bar and connecting web axial to the support rod engages and supports the rod. Finally, the connecting web is hung from an overhead pulley and cable system. The '253 patent discloses a bulk-liquid bag having a pair of lift straps formed by the top wall of the bag. Lift arms are then hooked under the associated pair of lift straps and are hoisted upward and suspended from an overhead hoist or floor crane. Both the '781 patent and the '253 patent utilize elaborate hanging mechanisms which increase the complexity, bulkiness, and overall cost of the device, and, therefore, do not solve the problems of the previous devices.
Accordingly, a collapsible hangable bag in accordance with the present invention provides an inexpensive and simple solution to eliminate the drawbacks of the prior dispensing bags described above.